Why Dr Pepper is NOT your doctor

July 1, 2012 | DyeDiet

With all due respect to Dr Pepper’s long history of a soft drink with a unique flavor, the truth is that it contains only two ingredients which your body can make use of: water and 35 teaspoons (!) of High Fructose Corn Syrup (while these are nutrients, 2 green segments in the DyeDiet diagram, too much sugar is what kills today’s America).

DyeDiet Doesn’t Buy It!

Dr Pepper: Risk and Nutrition

As you see, the rest are complete bio-chemical strangers (4 red segments) that will only bring confusion to your system. You also will consume a load of caffeine, the world most popular psycho-stimulant (yellow segment):

Phosphoric acid is used to increase acidity of beverages. Please note, that the medium of blood is basic, that is the opposite of being acidic. This means that our body will have to struggle to keep balancing the blood medium. Over time consumption of phosphoric acid may cause reduction in bone calcium and kidney problems.
Sodium benzoate is a questionable preservative (read PDF document The effect of some colors and sodium benzoate on children’s behavior)
Caramel color is usually harmless food additive derived from sugar. However, the caramel color produced on industrial scale is made with use of ammonia at elevated temperatures that creates known carcinogens, 2-Methylimidazole and 4-Methylimidazole. This issue and persistent efforts made by CSPI (see PDF document Caramel Coloring Petition) have led Pepsi and Coca-Cola companies to tweak their technologies. Dr Pepper still keeps silence.
Natural and artificial flavors are mostly synthetic chemicals kept in secrecy
Caffeine toxicity is relatively low but yet close to that of Arsenic Trisulfide and Sodium Nitrite.

Mostly red DyeDiet risk and nutrition diagram promises you unacceptably high chemical risk of DDFI = 26/8 ~ 3.3 and also unacceptably low nutritional value of DDNF = 8/32 ~ 0.25. Previously reviewed Dr Pepper cherry is even worse choice because an artificial colorant and other chemicals are added.

Water is always a better choice. Of course, it’s very unlikely that you are going to get sick after drinking a bottle of Dr Pepper or Coca-Cola. I used to drink it occasionally in the past. But we should never substitute any soft drinks for water on a regular basis.

Filtered or mineral water available at your local Walmart is always a better choice than any sodas. Hydrate yourself right!